ARBOR WEEKIVIKI LEZIHLAHLA 2003 BACKGROUND TRACED BACK 500

ARBOR WEEK-IVIKI LEZIHLAHLA 2003

BACKGROUND TRACED BACK 500 YEARS AGO IN SWITZERLAND REMODELLED IN AMERICA SOME CENTURIES LATER CELEBRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME SOUTH AFRICA IN 1973 (GREEN HERITAGE CAMPAIGN) IN 1982 PARLIAMENT MANDATED DEPT. FORESTRY TO LEAD ARBOR DAY

FIRST OFFICIAL ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION IN 1983 (CELEBRATED ON THE SECOND FRIDAY OF AUGUST EVERY YEAR) IN 1996 MINISTER KADER ASMAL EXTENDED ARBOR DAY TO ARBOR WEEK IN 2001 MINISTER RONNIE KASRILS LAUNCHED A NEW NAME FOR ARBOR WEEK (ARBOR WEEK-IVIKI LEZIHLAHLA)

AIM PROMOTE BETTER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TREES, PARTICULARLY INDIGENOUS TREES l STRESS THE NECESSITY FOR EVERYONE TO PLANT AND CARE FOR TREES l HIGHLIGHT THE VITAL ROLE TREES PLAY IN OUR LIVES l CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A GREEN, DIGNIFIED AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT IN ALL PARTS OF SA l

OBJECTIVES Amongst the objectives that Arbor Week tries to achieve : l Encourage South Africans to participate in the campaign l Encourage commemorative treeplanting as a tradition in our community l Inform rural and peri-urban communities of the benefits trees bring

FOCUS OF ARBOR WEEK Since 2000 this campaign focuses on specific areas, namely: Economic benefits of trees: supporting livelihoods of people Protection of indigenous trees and forests Environmental benefits derived from greening our cities and towns Planting trees in remembrance of loved ones

THEME FOR ARBOR WEEK CAMPAIGN A PARTICULAR THEME IS CHOSEN FOR THE CAMPAIGN THIS YEAR’S THEME IS : “ TREES ARE OUR HERITAGEMEHLARE KE BOHWA BJA RENA”

STRUCTURES National Arbor Week Steering Committee National Arbor Week Coordinators Committee Provincial Arbor Week Steering Committees (each province) District Arbor Week Committees Local Arbor Week Committees

ARBOR WEEK CALENDAR OF EVENTS ARBOR WEEK HAS GROWN SINCE 2000 AND EVERY MUNICIPALITY AND COMMUNITY COMPETES IN HOSTING MINISTERIAL EVENTS EACH PROVINCE HOSTS ITS OWN LAUNCH EVENT LEAD BY THE PREMIER EVEN CABINET MINISTERS ATTEND MAJOR ARBOR WEEK EVENTS THIS HAS NECESSITATED THAT A CALENDAR OF EVENTS BE COMPILED EVERY YEAR AND FOR ALL PROVINCES

PARTNERS l Total South Africa l Food and Trees for Africa l Institute for Environment and Recreation Management l Local Government (Municipalities) l Department (Provincial) of Agriculture

PARTNERS CONTINUED l Departments of Environmental Affairs Nature conservation agencies l Community based organisations and the civics l Working for Water Programme l Yourselves

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